Chapter 6

I know that earlier I said that if I ever saw Asahina-san (Big) again that I might not be able to control my reaction, but I can honestly say I'd rather spend thirty days locked in a house with her in a reality show nightmare than to have encountered this unseemly character again.

"Now, now. What kind of a greeting is that to give to a person who's going to give you the solution to all your problems?"

The words seem to slither out of the smug time traveller's face. I had forgotten that even the way this guy talked managed to piss me off. I guess that it was just another thing to add to the already arm length list of negative traits that he's racked up in my mind.

"Oh, come now. I couldn't have done all that much."

Trying to run over a little kid, kidnapping and holding a grudge against Asahina-san, being a smug bastard, and likening Nagato to a doll - seems like a pretty impressive list to me, and that's barring the point that you just get on my nerves in general.

At this point The Sneering Bastard tried to pout (probably a gesture meant to mock Asahina-san) but it wasn't long before he cracked. He let out a psychotic fit of hysterical cackling that probably would have made Norman Bates and Patrick Bateman run away screaming in terror.

"It's funny you say that, you know," he said, after he finally regained control of himself, "since after all, Kyon-" he practically spat the nickname out, looking a little disgusted with it "- that's a horrible nickname, by the way. I can see why you hate it; but then again you're too much of a pansy to stop people from using it, aren't you?"

At this point I was about ready to walk away.

"Oh come on, don't be like that, laugh a little, it's good for you, you know." Sounds like something that borderline maniac might say, especially one with a smile always plastered on his face, although in this case it was more of a sneer. "Anyways, back to the actual matter at hand. Like I was saying: time; when you really think about it, you've only known me for a handful of hours, and yet you hate me. Maybe the reasons you hate me aren't without basis. But hey, at least I'm honest, which is more than I can say about some of the other time travellers you associated with."

For someone who barely knew me this smug bastard sure knew how to push my buttons. He's done some reprehensible things, but when he insults my friends with that crooked smile he crosses the line. Asahina-san doesn't deserve this kind of slander!

"Oh, she doesn't, does she? Why? Because you know her so well? Because she's a sweet, innocent little girl that wouldn't hurt a fly? Because you're her knight in shining armour? Grow up!"

His outburst shocked me, and I think he even shocked himself a little. He was getting angry, angrier than I was even: it was such a raw, genuine hatred that it took a while to build up. We stared at each other for a moment, while he tried to compose himself - he seemed embarrassed that he failed to control himself, and I'll admit that I would have enjoyed seeing him squirm if his outburst hadn't been so unnerving.

"What has Asahina-san ever done to you anyways?"

At this point he looked me dead in the eye, I could almost see the malice still radiating from him, although he had calmed down a little now. "It's what she will do, what she might do for all I know. Anyways, that's none of your damn business, and hopefully soon enough it won't be any of mine either."

I'm getting really tired of all the time travel double talk, although I'm happy at least that he didn't break down and tell me a long overwrought sob story.

"Like you'd want to hear it anyways. No, like I've been trying to say, I'm here to offer you a solution to your problems." The sneer turned into an arrogant smirk.

That brings me to another very good point: "Why would you, of all people, want to help me?"

"Oh, believe me, it's complicated. And while normally you'd be right, in this case I feel I owe you anyways."

Owe me, why? For what?

The smirk started getting psychotic again, like his emotions were set on repeat. At least if he blew up again I'd be prepared this time.

"Don't you know? It's all off the rails!" He almost jumped off the park bench when he made this exclamation. "I don't know how, I don't know why, but I don't care! All I know is that thanks to you and that eccentric girl that controls way more than she should, that the script got burnt to a crisp!"

So what you're saying is that -

"I don't know what's going to happen next!" In that moment, I think that I saw pure joy betray itself across his face, if only for a fraction of an instant, before it was back to being masked by that near slasher smile. Of course, knowing this guy, I wasn't too sure that the solution to my problem would be anything I'd want. Especially since it no doubt involved one of my all time favourite activities: time travel.

"Well, nothing slips past you, does it?" he deadpanned, sitting back down on the bench.

Even you can't seriously think I'm that gullible. You want to get rid of time travel, since your faction thinks it traps people or whatever. So whatever solution you have, it probably means that you get what you want at the same time.

He shrugged, closing his eyes and spreading his arms wide across the back of the bench. "And so what if it is? The deal is as good for you as it is for me, and for all you know, it might be the best choice anyways. Besides, no one is forcing you to do anything. I couldn't even if I wanted to: the authorities from when I'm from might be incompetent, but they aren't that incompetent."

Then why don't you get it over with and just tell me the terms of the deal already?

"Now, now, if I told you, then you definitely wouldn't want to do it."

Gee, that instills so much faith that this isn't a deal with the devil.

"Hey, you have no right to get haughty with me. If your version of Mikuru asked, you'd be doing whatever it was she wanted you to do in a second, without hesitation. You were in her pocket so damn deep that it's amazing that you ever got anything else done."

A couple of days ago that statement would have been meet with a sharp "shut the hell up", but while I don't blame Asahina-san (Small) for any of this, I'm more sure than I've ever been that Asahina-san (Big) was behind her smaller self leaving.

"Still holding out that that naiveté wasn't an act, hmm? Well, whatever lets you sleep at night - or do other things," the Bastard lewdly remarked.

This was a giant waste of time. Whatever your deal is, I'm not taking it. I'd never help further one of your ends anyways, given your track record. So go do whatever it is you do when you're not trying to run over kids or scare kidnap innocent girls.

He heaved a large sigh and got up off the bench. "Whatever, I figured that you wouldn't be too keen on anything I had to say anyways. At least not right now. Still…" At this point he reached under the coat he was wearing. The hell? Was he going to sedate me, or kill me? The park was empty; there wouldn't be a single witness.

My mind didn't get a chance to fixate on the idea of my imminent death for long though, because the last time I checked guns don't look like business cards, even in the future.

"Take this, and if you change your mind, call that number. I won't wait forever though, even if I had the leisure."

He handed the card to me (well, more like he shoved the card into my hand. I looked at the series of numbers that was in no way shape or form a comprehensible phone number, although I guess that it wouldn't.

By the time I looked up, I was alone.

I would have had a lot to think about on the walk home even if I hadn't have had that detour to the park and that dubious offer dangled in front of my face. Some of what he said disturbed me though. His ranting and rambling about Asahina-san never used to bother me, but just knowing that even as innocent as Asahina-san (Small) was, she still had to act on the underhanded orders of Asahina-san (Big) stirred a deep sense of misgiving in me. The worst part is, I think that Asahina-san (Big) knew that it did: there was no other explanation for why she refused to show herself nowadays.

She must have known that it would come to this.

She must have known that she would have to leave, although she probably didn't (or rather she couldn't have known at the time) that she was the one forcing it. It just wasn't fair. That was the thought that my mind kept defaulting to whenever I thought about the innocent time traveler and her less-than-innocent future counterpart.

Still, no matter what Asahina-san did, in either variant she appeared in, it wasn't enough to ever justify betrayal. There was a solution out there that didn't involve pairing up with the villain, and I had to find it by myself. Thankfully the talk with Sasaki did clarify a little for me, and at the moment I would take anything I could get.

The thing was though, could my selfishness ever justify putting the whole of reality in danger? I loved Haruhi, there was no debating or retracting that. I didn't know if she truly felt the same way about me, but I'd really like to think she did. Still, because of what I did as John Smith Haruhi has that splinter of doubt in her mind, and that splinter would never work itself out until she knew the truth, which presented a whole different set of problems.

The one thing I did know at this point though was that I couldn't leave the situation as it stood. If I do nothing, then I'm a hypocrite that doesn't deserve to have someone like Haruhi, and as much as I wanted to take her offer to get back together (which I'm sure would have delighted Koizumi) there was no way I could live with myself knowing that she would have to give up her dreams; that was part of what attracted me to her after all.

John Smith still remained the key to it all. I think I'm almost beginning to hate that name more than 'Kyon' but the unfortunate fact is that it is still useful if it comes down to it. I just wish that it was a name that didn't mean so much to Haruhi.

Although I didn't really sleep any better than I had in the last couple of nights, school wasn't going to stop just because I felt like I'd been dodging Mikuru Beams and projectile desks all night, and so I pulled myself out of bed to greet the hill, its wide open face looming as large and imposing as ever. I at least didn't have any interruptions on my uphill trudge this time. Taniguchi hadn't really talked to me since my exasperated parting with him; although I think he might have been avoiding me since the news of Haruhi's and my break-up seemed to have "mysteriously" spread throughout the scholastic cosmos. It was totally unnecessary; it wasn't like I was going to beat him up or anything. Mostly because I was far too lazy, but also because blaming Taniguchi for gossiping is like blaming the storm for bringing rain: it's a fact of nature.

What I wasn't prepared for though was what was waiting for me in my shoe locker once I got to the school. As I grabbed my shoes to get ready for class, a note slipped out and gracelessly fell to the floor. Was my shoe locker a cross with a communication hub or something? I wonder how many members are subscribed to 'Kyon's Shoe Locker Service'. I was probably stalling just to not look at the note though; rarely do these things ever result in a good outcome for me. Still, there was no avoiding it, picking it up, I looked at the mostly blank page:

"Meet me in the clubroom, skip class if you have to. We need to talk - now." The 'now' was underlined three times, in thick, bold strokes.

Even if the short note hadn't been signed "Haruhi", I would have known the writing of my one time girlfriend and brigade leader anywhere. But this handwriting… it looked sloppy, rushed, like she barely managed to get it out. I hoped that it just meant that she was in a hurry, but the ominous feeling building in the back of my mind seemed to dash any hopes of that.

There were only a few minutes before class, but even if this took all day I needed to find out just what was up. Thankfully the halls were nearly empty, with only a couple of stragglers to give me strange looks as I darted through the halls. I never really imagined that I'd ever play hooky in the school, but then again I never imagined that I'd be hanging out with aliens, time travellers and espers on a daily basis either.

I entered without knocking; it wasn't like I was going to catch Asahina-san changing, although I'd desperately like to for completely different reasons than 98% of the male student population would. As I stepped in the room Haruhi raised her head above the computer monitor and I was immediately struck by how much conflict and despair was on her face: this was much worse than when she broke up with me, or when Asahina-san left, if that was even possible. What could have possibly happened to make her this depressed again?

"I need to talk to you, Kyon." Haruhi said, her voice downtrodden and almost devoid of any energy. She didn't even look at me. "I wanted to tell you first, since you have the most right to know: I'm disbanding the SOS-Brigade."

It took me a while to piece that all together. Sure, the words were simple enough; each of them made sense in-and-of-themselves, but there was no way in hell the person saying them would ever be saying them in that order; not in a million years. At least not without something like "There's no way in hell!" attached to the start of the sentence, then, okay. But this? No way.

"This isn't a time for your games, Kyon. I'm serious: it's over."

"But why? Just two days ago you were willing to keep going, why the sudden change?"

Haruhi looked off to one side, as if trying to make sure that there was no one else in the room, rather odd, but considering what she said next it made sense:

"I confronted Koizumi over the weekend."

Oh. Crap.

"I just couldn't let what you said go. I tried to dismiss it for a while, but it just kept nagging at me. So I met with him yesterday and demanded that he tell me the truth."

Okay, Kyon. Don't panic. By truth, she couldn't mean the whole truth, or else the world might not even be here right now, or I might be some sort of large waterfowl or something of the like.

"So, he told me that he asked you to get back together with me. And then he starts in on this spiel about he's only doing it out of concern for me, as if my wellbeing was his responsibility!"

It was a good thing that Haruhi's back was turned at this point, because I couldn't help but cringe at the last part of her statement. After all, in a twisted sort of way, her wellbeing was not only his concern, but that of an entire group, or even three entire groups.

"As if that wasn't bad enough. Then he started to say stuff like how he would have preferred if he could have just been honest with me, and that he cared about me more than I knew and crap like that. He started coming on to me like I was some sort of rebound prize for him!"

At this point I wasn't really angry with Koizumi, although a large part of me told me that I should be. Yet, Koizumi had always darted around whether he, cared, cared for Haruhi: the alternate universe version of him readily admitted that he had feelings for her, but was that the case here again? I never really thought about it, maybe I didn't want to give it much though either, but that was besides the point right now. I couldn't help but think that the stress of the situation was maybe getting to him, or maybe he did see an opportunity the way that the 49ers each believed they saw gold in every river, only to walk away broken and empty. That still didn't answer the most important question though:

"Why are you disbanding the club?"

"You ask that like you haven't been through what I've been through in the past couple of days. First Mikuru-chan has to go leave, and I haven't been able to get a forwarding address for her or anything, and then Koizumi starts butting in on business that he has no right to, and start talking like a freaky stalker. What do you expect me to do, Kyon? Stand around and wait for you or Yuki to leave or go crazy or something? I don't need it, and I don't want it!"

Haruhi had finally had enough, but I still hadn't expected her to react like this: disbanding the club was such a drastic action to take. While she was ultimately the one in control, I couldn't just stand by and let her make this huge mistake.

"Haruhi, I know that things are bad, and I agree that what Koizumi pulled was low, but he's been through a lot lately, just as much as us really. He just needs to get a grip and then he'll be fine again: after all we've been through he deserves a second chance, and this group does too."

I really had hoped that I could convince her, but judging by the drastic shaking of her head I don't think my words were having the intended effect.

At this point I wanted her to start screaming, arguing, anything. I wanted her to tell me what was really bothering her, even if it meant that half the school would hear our shouting match. But all she did was head towards the door, seemingly resolved to not give an inch.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care anymore; just do it without me."

Her cracking voice came from behind the closing door.

Sitting in stunned silence is something I've been doing far too much of lately, yet I found myself doing it again, for lack of any real solution. Maybe I expected Haruhi to come back, maybe I expected someone else, anyone else, to walk through that door and try to make things better.

I got neither.

All I did get was a head full of questions. I still didn't know what motivated Haruhi to take such a drastic action. I'm sure that if Asakura Ryoko were here that she'd be immensely pleased that "the subject is showing such a dynamic reaction", but since she'd also be pleased if I were a little red stain on a classroom floor, her opinion didn't amount to much in my book.

But I just couldn't take my mind off of it. Haruhi was hurt because of everything that had happened, but it wasn't that simple. She could change things if she wanted to, even if she doesn't know it. Like Nagato said though, she accepted that Asahina-san was leaving, so that wasn't it. She was also the one who broke up with me, so that wasn't it either. Was it because she opened up to us? So when Koizumi and Asahina-san did what they did she felt betrayed? Even if that was the case, I couldn't confirm anything, at least not without talking to Haruhi again; a scenario that I very much doubted Haruhi would be game for at the moment.

After missing the entire morning and waiting until pretty much the last possible minute for Nagato or even Koizumi to show up - which they never did - I decided to go to class. I needed something, anything to get my mind off this.

When I walked into the classroom I was of course immediately chewed out by Okabe and sentenced to another delightful after school morale-building session. I wasn't as concerned about that though, as I was to see that the seat behind mine was empty.

I managed to pick up the fact that Haruhi hadn't been in class all day, which means that after she left me in the club room I have no idea where she's gone, and neither does anyone else in all likelihood. Things were falling apart so quickly I barely had time to catch myself, let alone anyone else. The discussion with Sasaki brought a lot into perspective, but at this point I needed help, genuine help. Too bad the only person to give me any just happened to be the person I'd most like to help to a face full of my fist, it goes without saying that accepting his help would be like inviting the man in the red mask into the ball despite knowing his secret. In other words: damnation.

As my mind wound itself up and down the time passed and soon I found myself staring at the clock as the seconds obediently marched towards the final bell for the day. I wondered how I'd break the news to Nagato, although knowing her, she knew already. Koizumi might have been the same, but still, despite what's happened between us, it'll be hard to break it to him, if only because I know what that might mean for his immediate future as well as The Organizations.

The bell rang, although it barely registered, it's not like I was going to pay much attention to the speech Okabe would bluster through for the next indeterminate amount of time.

"You're lucky today, kid."

I am?

"I have some business to attend to, so the talk will have to wait, although believe me, you will be getting one. But for now I managed to find another teacher to make sure you don't just go to club or back home."

Okabe slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way towards the door. As he slid it open I didn't bother to see just who his replacement was going to be. I frankly didn't care either, maybe I could just get a quick nap without getting lectured for a change.

"He's all yours. Don't let him get off too easy, even if you're just a substitute." I heard Okabe tell whoever met him at the door.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure he'll listen to everything I have to say."

At this point I couldn't help but snap my head in the direction of the door. Okabe stepped past the substitute and out into the hall, leaving her behind. She closed the door behind her as I watched, dumbfounded and transfixed, as she made her way to the front of the room.

"Hello Kyon-kun. It's been quite a while." Asahina-san (Big) smiled.

As the fully grown version of the girl I had seen depart in tears not even a week ago stood before me with an almost audacious confidence I could only look on in shock. I obviously had a lot to say, but that was the problem: there were so many questions surging through my brain that it might have made Nagato's boss envious of my data requisitioning abilities.

"What's the matter, Kyon-kun? No friendly hello for an old friend? I thought you'd be happy to see me again." Asahina-san said in an almost sultry tone. It was hard to put my finger on it, because she was the Asahina-san (Big) that I knew. There was nothing different about her, her face, her mannerisms. And yet, now, I just couldn't look at her the same way.

"I'm hurt, Kyon-kun. To think you of all people would be so untrusting."

Her voice betrayed a bit of hurt, although there was also an undercurrent of patronization to it as well, not a good mix. And yet, didn't I have the right to be untrusting of her, after all she's done, all the plans, the use of her younger self?

"I can understand why you'd think that, Kyon-kun. And I don't think it's very fair either, or, actually, I didn't think it was very fair. But after I learnt the truth, I guess that I just realized something."

I would hope that it was that it was that no one should have to put themselves through that.

Asahina-san's frown deepened a little. "No, in fact, it's the exact opposite. That sometimes you have to sacrifice something precious in order to protect the greater good."

I don't understand, are you saying that you never wanted to be here? That all of this was for nothing but the sake of the future?

She sighed, sitting down on the desk beside me. "Kyon-kun. I will admit that some parts of my time here were enjoyable. But this also wasn't my place. I belong in the future, with my friends, my family. I wasn't allowed to tell you, but I hadn't even completed a season of classes in the academy before I was drafted. I was scared, I didn't understand."

Even though it struck me as being incredibly selfish for me to say this, I still couldn't help myself: "But what about all the people you left behind here? What can they do? The club, Tsuruya, your friends from this era! Are they all just supposed to forget about you?"

"Kyon-kun, please understand!"

There was a tinge of anger, or maybe it was anxiety, in her voice. "I was never meant to stay here, and I made that clear to everyone that I could. Maybe my leaving did hurt people, but as a time traveler, shouldn't I know that time heals all wounds?"

Somehow, looking into her eyes, the words seemed hollow. I didn't know why, but they just did.

"I need to tell you why I'm here though. And I'm afraid that it isn't for the reason you want it to be."

My heart sank. I could have guessed that Asahina-san (Small) wouldn't be coming back, but for her to finally say it just enforced the grim reality of the situation.

"I know that the time traveler who goes by the alias Fujiwara had talked to you recently. I know that he's offered you something. But I'm asking, even begging you: don't take his deal, no matter how tempting it seems!"

At this point I was a little hurt, to think that Asahina-san would even think that I'd take a deal with that man meant that she must not have thought very much of me, in all honesty.

"It's not that, Kyon-kun. It's just that . . . people from this time period sometimes just forget to put the greater good ahead of their own individual pleasures. It's nothing against you, it was just the norm for the period."

My hurt turned to insult, which I'm sure she saw on my face as she averted her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, Kyon-kun. But that's just how it is. I came here to tell you because I feel that I owe you something. After all, you were one of the only people who tried to save me from Suzumiya's more objectionable ideas, although you were often as powerless as anyone else."

There was something behind her voice, especially when she said Haruhi's name, that made me squirm a little. Now I knew that when she said that time heals all wounds that she wasn't being honest.

"If you take his deal, then there's nothing else I can do to help you! You'll be judged as a criminal who committed violations against the time stream! And then…"

The fact that she didn't continue after that was less than appealing to me.

"I don't plan on taking the deal."

She lit up when I told her that.

"But, I still have to help Haruhi."

The light dimmed.

"Kyon-kun. I know that you, more than anyone, care about her. But maybe this is what she needs -"

You'd better hold on right there, if you're implying that Haruhi needs to see the world fall down around her. No one needs that.

"You don't understand! Everyone needs to have things not go their way, and Suzumiya is no exception to the rule! She needs to learn that life doesn't always go the way she wants it to, and in accepting that, the world, the universe, will be out of danger! That's why the future has stabilized, because she's beginning to accept that fact."

Even if that's true, it's not worth all the anguish she's experiencing.

"I'm sorry Kyon-kun. But from my perspective, and indeed the perspective of everyone whose future is at stake, it is."

I couldn't believe what she was saying. Even though she was the same Asahina-san (Big) as always, the fact that she was willing to let someone suffer so badly just chaffed me. It was obvious, to my frustration, that I could never convince her otherwise. Is that the future though, were people see fit to use others as tools to get jobs done? If so, that's not a future that I think I want to come to pass.

"It might not be for you, but I'm afraid that's just the way it has to be, Kyon." Asahina-san said with the stern voice of someone who was getting just as frustrated as I was. "I didn't want to part on such . . . bad terms. But it seems like it was destiny. I am sorry, for what it's worth. But you need to think of all the good, rather than all the bad."

Her statement wasn't very convincing, and it sounded more like she was simply reassuring herself with it than trying to reassure me. As I watched her leave, there were more questions than answers: was that really what the innocent girl who I knew was bound to become? Could I really not do anything about it?

Did she really come to hate Haruhi so much?

I frankly didn't know what to expect as I walked down to the club room. Every ounce of me hoped that when I opened the door everyone would be standing there, happily laughing at me while holding a sign that said "Surprise! You're on Candid Camera!" or something. I wouldn't mind being the butt of this joke as long as it meant that it was a joke and nothing more.

When I opened the clubroom door only one of the two people I was expecting to be their was actually in the room, and he wasn't the one I was expecting to find. Koizumi looked at me and greeted me with a smile, well, as much of a smile as he could manage.

"What happened to your face?"

He shrugged as if it was the most mundane thing in the world to have a giant welt on the left side of one's head from nearly cheek to chin: "Ah, I was hoping that it wouldn't be that noticeable -" wow, getting punched in the face has sure made you a bad liar "- but I am surprised that you didn't know however, since this is the result of the discussion that I had with Suzumiya-san over the weekend."

Haruhi had apparently neglected to mention that she hit you in the face, although maybe I should have guessed from the way she told me the news.

"Indeed. Perhaps I should have used more tact in discussing the matter with her."

Or perhaps you should have used your brain before telling me all that stuff, and then deciding not to lie to her when she asked you what happened.

"I still stand by my belief that the situation would be better if you would have accepted Suzumiya-san's request to renew your relationship after Asahina-san's departure. But it is too late now."

More than you know, Koizumi.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Haruhi, well, she's disbanded the club."

Koizumi looked like he was waiting for a punch-line to a bad joke, too bad I didn't have one for him. The worry on his face was very real, as was the guilt.

"I . . . see. It would appear that my emotions finally got the better of me, and now the predicament at hand is that much worse."

A couple days ago I was angry with Koizumi for what he tried to do, but considering what just happened with Asahina-san (Big) at least I can rest assured that Koizumi did what he did out of a twisted but still real sense of concern for Haruhi and to a lesser extent, myself.

"Thank you for thinking that, but my motivations were not purely noble, I'm ashamed to say."

He seemed to be waiting for me to reply, but when I just kept looking at him wondering just what he meant he continued:

"Although I am quite embarrassed to admit this, I have been somewhat . . . jealous of you and Suzumiya-san's relationship. This despite the fact that I knew from day one that I had no chance with her. Still, being part of her inner circle only made things harder from time to time."

Although it didn't really serve as a great excuse, it was understandable. Still, at a time like this I would have thought that you'd have had more sense.

"I would have thought so as well. But apparently I was mistaken."

But then why tell me to get back together with Haruhi? Doesn't that undermine everything that you might have wanted to say?

"This is true, but it is precisely for that reason why I was so insistent. I had feared that without the relationship that you two shared there to stop me, that I might have done something foolish such as this."

Although I wish it hadn't, Koizumi's confession brought to mind the words of Asahina-san (Big), the ones about people from my time being so selfish. And yet, like Sasaki said, wasn't everyone entitled to happiness? Was it so wrong that people want to pursue their dreams?

I'd love to say that Koizumi and I discussed options on how to patch everything together and came up with a brilliant plan that was sure to succeed, but that would require such a ridiculous amount of deus ex machina that even I couldn't believe it. Instead he pretty much left after making another small apology to me. Whether I accepted or not really didn't matter at the moment, but I suppose that at least my response brought him some peace of mind, which at least made one of us.

This still left everyone with the little problem of one of the dynamic forces of the world seeing everything fall apart in front of her, and possibly deciding that now might be a good time to hit that giant shiny red reset button and try everything again. Even if she didn't though, would she still just go through life being miserable, essentially turning back into the spoilt child I met at the beginning of my first year, except worse? I can accept that.

I just can't.

That night I couldn't sleep yet again, I sat staring out my window, the words of Asahina-san (Big) playing through my head over and over. She tried to stay rational, but at the same time it was like she never even cared about the past. That even after all she went through with us, that it was just some burden to her, some mission to be endured. Thinking about it over and over, to the point where I was getting sick, the only thing I kept gravitating too was:

If she didn't care about the past, then why should I have to care about the future?

Even if time travel was eliminated, then what? Would the present really be so badly affected? I doubt it. And while I did feel bad betraying Asahina-san (Small), wouldn't things work out better for her as well? I mean, if she really never wanted to come to the past, then wouldn't she be happier if time travel was never invented?

Could I really justify dealing with the devil?

With these thoughts heavy on my mind I found myself back at the bench, cell phone in hand, prepared to dial the number on the card. I wasn't agreeing, I just needed more information. That's what I keep telling myself at least.

As I punched in the last few digits of the absurdly long string of numbers the cell phone shrieked with static so loudly I almost dropped it. After about five or ten seconds of assaulting my hearing the noise finally stopped, leaving me wondering just what happened, and just what I'd done.

"So, changed your mind hunh?"

I practically jumped out of my skin as the voice of the Sneering Bastard came from behind me. I'm sure that he delighted in that fact, but I didn't have the inclination to think about it at the moment. Right now I just need more information on exactly what this deal entails.

"Woah, when did I say that if you called back we'd sit down for a nice chit-chat? If you call me, it means you want in on this. So either you do or you don't, you will or you won't, so which is it?"

A time traveller, a person who pretty much literally could have all the time in the world, is putting me on the spot in regards to making a decision, that's rich.

"Rich but necessary. It's not like I don't have other things I'd rather be doing. And getting around without drawing the suspicion of the TIF is hard enough."

TIF? well whatever. I never dreamed I'd be doing this, but then again I never dream that half of what's happened over the past few days would ever happen at all, so I guess I still may add this to the list. But…

"But?"

"I want guarantees that nothing I'm doing will endanger anyone in the present, anyone at all."

"You're asking me this kind of thing now? Well, alright, I suppose, based upon my best guess, that no one from the present will be endangered or otherwise adversely affected by what I have planned, okay?"

No not really, considering that I trust you about as far as I could throw you.

The Bastard looked like he was about to rip his hair out. "Listen to me! I CAN'T change anything, even if I wanted to. If I didn't need your help then I would have just done what I want to do already! You're the key here, and unless you do something incredibly stupid, then no one is going to die, or end up as a fish, or anything like that. So can we JUST GO already?" He was almost manic at this point.

"I also want a guarantee from you, that you won't hurt or pursue Asahina-san's younger self in any way."

A loud groan, "Fine, fine. If this works then I won't know her anyways, airhead or conniving bitch, so it doesn't matter anyways."

Alright, fine, one last thing.

"That is -"

He was cut off as I buried my fist into his abdomen, not hard enough to do any real damage, but enough to knock the wind out of him.

"That's for everything you've ever put my friends through, or said about them. Now we're even enough."

He glared at me from his doubled over position, then smirked, "It's about time that you actually grew some balls. Oh, and by the way, quid pro quo."

Whatever he hit me with, it was nowhere near as pleasant as when Asahina-san (Small) did when she knocked me out for time travelling. I woke up with a headache worse than the one I had after Haruhi forced us to drink all night on the island.

"You wouldn't believe how much I enjoyed that. Mind you, I would have done it even if you hadn't punched me, but hey, justification is always nice I suppose."

As I rose from the dirt, the headache fading with amazing quickness (although still not quick enough) I saw him sitting on the same bench. Holding a rolled-up and crumpled newspaper. I barely managed to react in time to catch it when he casually tossed it at my head. As I took a look at the date my heart sank.

"So, this is what, your third, maybe fourth time visiting this Tanabata? It must get old after a while."

It always comes down to this stupid date. But the 64 million dollar question is: what exactly am I going to do this time?

The slasher smile returned: "Oh, that's simple. You're going to kill John Smith."

Author's Notes: It's been a while. Hopefully not so long that this story isn't still of interest. But with school looming ever large, there's just never enough time in the day anymore. Of course, I wouldn't have that problem if I were a time traveler, but then I suppose that I could just get a completed story from my future self anyways, and what's the fun in that?

Temporal matters aside, I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. It was one of the hardest ones I had to write, and also the one that's undergone the most revision so far I believe. I demand that you heap praise on Arty Esbee d'Arc for preventing me from dumping a version of Mikuru (Big) on your laps that would have probably been so OC that it would have made you double take. Her continued betaing has saved me from yet another blunder.

The next chapter should be very interesting, it's been one of the ones I've been looking forward to writing the most, as well as one of the most interesting. Kyon has some choices to make, but will they be the right ones? Oh, and you can also expect a resolution to the dilemma that presented itself in novel 10, and hopefully some rather compelling moments in the present (or is it the past?) as well. Until next we meet!

Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own any of the characters of the Haruhi universe, please don't sue me (strangely flattering as it would be).